Accutron Snorkel 666
Dial side
Logo
Bulova Accutron
Snorkel
666 FEET
Case back
Bulova
Patented
Stainless Steel
666 Feet
There's a serial number below the inscription, but it's difficult to make out.
Accutron 2182 movement, no visible date code. Similar watches are circa 1974
I've also looked in depth and don't find anything. If the watch is inscribed 1981 or later, that is most likely very close to date of production. Knowing the case s/n and seeing the inside of the case back would help. I suspect the case s/n starts with "3-" followed by 6 numbers and case back stamped Hong Kong on the inside. We occasionally encounter watches that seem out of place in the timeline with no outside case date code that were produced in Asia in the late 70's and beyond. They are "all Bulova", but appear nowhere in ads or reference material.
I think we had the discussion previously as to the possibility that similar watches may have been produced in Asia using unused parts inventory from the US and Switzerland to create sell-able Bulova watches for the Asian market. As off hand example - 1974 pattern dial (or dated movement) in a 1980 style case.
I really like the watch, but with current info have no idea how to ID or even assign a date. My comments above are at this point pure observations / speculation.
Hi Joe - A mid seventies Accutron, it seems, would have a standard Bulova date code on the case back, it's unusual that yours doesn't. Given that we don't see anything in the documentation we have the best we could do is to classify it as an Accutron Date and Day, the question being, What year do we assign it? How did you settle on 1974?
In reply to Hi Joe - A mid seventies… by Geoff Baker
I recall seeing one from 1974, same configuration. I have a project watch in my collection with a similar configuration, coke bezel with a N4 on the case back. It's similar to the Bulova models, which I've posted that are all also 1974.
The 81 on the inscription should simply be that. Were 218 movements were being produced in 1981? As I said in the description, I can't see any date code on the movement.
In reply to I recall seeing one from… by Tayloreuph
Its seems to match this unknown in our database except for the color. https://mybulova.com/watches/1974-unknown-5584
In reply to Its seems to match this… by JimDon5822
There are a couple iterations of this watch. Green dial/green bezel, Blue dial/blue bezel, Black dial/coke bezel, Black dial/green bezel, Black dial/blue bezel. No red as far as I've seen.
The case shape is similar but not identical to the Bulova models, it's different by a couple mm, since the bezels aren't interchangeable, and the bracelet links are different as well.